Categories

A remarkable and tireless entertainer until his death, Riley B. King otherwise known as B.B. King or the King of Blues died at age 89 on May 14, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. He was an iconic American blues singer, songwriter and a marvelous guitarist. Rolling Stone named him as the world’s number 6 of 100 greatest guitarists ever.

The Mississippi native’s music career extends more than six decades and he performed more than 200 concerts per year. Since 1971 he has been nominated for 30 Grammys and won half of them. Besides entering into the Blues Hall of Fame, B.B. King has been awarded The Presidential Medal of Freedom award in 2006. Lucille was his cherished guitar. Unlike other entertainers, B.B. King evolved with time and entertained millions late into his 80s. He was born in a cotton farm near Indianola, Mississippi and sang with church choirs while learning to play guitar. During his youth he played at street corners and later he moved to Memphis, Tennessee where he began his blues career. He used several models of Gibson guitars throughout his career but named each one of them Lucille. He will be missed not only as an entertainer but also as a marvelous blues music player.